US President Joe Biden spoke about the transition process from the Democratic to the Republican administration after his second in command, Kamala Harris, lost the elections to former president Donald Trump. He urged “to keep going and keep the faith.”
The president of the United States, Joe Biden, sent a conciliatory message to the country this Thursday and promised a peaceful transfer of power in his first speech after Donald Trump's presidential victory, where he also praised Vice President Kamala Harris and supported “integrity” of the American electoral system.
“I hope we can put an end to the issue of the integrity of the American electoral system. It is honest, fair and transparent. It can be trusted, whether we win or lose,” the president declared.
Biden, in a calm and conciliatory tone, said that in the more than 240 years of US history this was another legitimate process where “the people” spoke at the polls as part of “our democracy.”
“You can't love your country only when you win. You can't love your neighbor only when you agree. One thing I hope we can do, regardless of who you voted for, is see each other not as adversaries, but as fellow Americans. Let's lower the temperature,” Biden said in a speech at the White House.
He stressed that the Wednesday he called President-elect Donald Trump to congratulate him and manage the orderly transition process, very different from “four years ago”, when the Republican president refused to recognize the results and his followers wanted to avoid the certification that culminated in the assault on the Capitol.
The outgoing president also said that on Wednesday he met with Vice President Kamala Harris, who lost the race, and stressed that elections always bring joy to one and sadness to others, “those who lose.”
The president's short message outside the White House was also marked by optimism as he told Americans and especially the Democratic base: “We are going to be fine, but we have to remain committed.”
Reflecting on the record of American democracy, he said that America is exceptional and the spirit will continue because “the American experiment endures.”…We have to move forward and, above all, we have to keep the faith.”
The president, who will leave the White House on January 20, with the world convulsed by two wars with global effects, in addition to the flanks of internal disagreement.